Welcome!

Here is a cute video that explains a wiki in the simplest terms I have found yet.Wiki?

Hello! It is so great to have all of you in the class. We have approximately 59 students in the course to date, which will make for some expansive discussion and cyberspace conversations. We are using a wiki this semester for this on-line class because:
  • I love it!
  • My students last semester loved it!
  • The wiki enables you to create the course as easily as I can. You can add, edit, create and delete just about anything on the wiki. The idea is for you to feel that you have all the freedom to design the course that best fits your style, while also allowing for true "real-time" communication. Now, with so much freedom also comes a great deal of responsibility. You want to make sure that you do not erase or delete your classmates entries if you are editing a page. Most of the work with the wiki you will be doing this semester will be as posts to the Discussion Tabs, but there will be times when I ask you to add to the page. When doing so, be mindful of where you are adding your entry.

Ultimately, the course is about an exploration of and an introduction to literature. This term we will be reading some short stories, poems, plays and one short novel, Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. I believe that literature should be fun for all. Believe it or not, even as a lit. major during my undergraduate studies, I often rolled my eyes at reading one more British poet or one more Shakespearean tragedy. I think that people need to find their likes and dislikes in all things, and literature is no different. You can come by and purchase a copy of Fahrenheit 451 from me for $4.00. I have six copies left, so hurry!

  • Although we are using the wiki, if you feel more comfortable also using the text, then follow along with the corresponding chapters for each section.I ask that you read specific pieces of literature because I think what they communicate will help you interpret and analyze other pieces in the future.
  • To check grades go to Blackboard, login in and go to Course Tools, My Grades. You should see them there. Because I allow you a week to get the work done, do the same for me :)

  • Make sure to take note that there is a HELP page, with a link in the Navigation Bar to the left of this page. I will add some suggestions on how to do things within the wiki. I also encourage you to add your short cuts and what not as you discover them. Also remember that there are about 60 other people in the class so listing your question will allow them to answer, me to answer and everyone to benefit.

  • Also, remember that this is first and foremost, and on-line class, so you are expected to have regular access to a computer, basic knowledge of a computer (ie: how to use a word processing program like Word, and how to save and attach your documents to an external source like a flash drive or the wiki).